Caleb Plant Dodged a Knife and a Lawsuit and Fans Think MMA Missed Out

5 min read

The 32-year-old had once stated, “I feel like I’m a conqueror. That’s what I do. I conquer things.”And he has rightfully established that so far in his career. Be it his interim WBA super middleweight title win against Trevor McCumby or his Premier Boxing Champions’ Knockout of the Year against Anthony Dirrell. But before the bright lights, the sold-out arenas, and the world title fights, Caleb Plant was already sharpening his instincts in real-world situations most fighters never experience. Intriguing, right?

A recently resurfaced street fight video by combat sports page @parrypunch on Instagram has sent shockwaves through the boxing community, not just for the violence it captures, but for the composure and awareness Plant shows in the face of very real danger, involving a physical altercation with an unidentified man in what appeared to be a residential area. There is no confirmed date, location, or background for the incident. There are no charges, or known police involvement at the time of reporting.

Moving on, the clip opened with Plant already engaged in the altercation with the “neighborhood dr*g dealer.” He landed multiple clean strikes, maintaining control and spacing throughout the exchange. He used open-handed pushes, footwork, and body positioning to direct the man off balance before he launched a firm front kick that visibly stopped his opponent’s forward momentum. During this time, the man attempted to recover his position but was unable to land anything in return. After sustaining several strikes, the other individual reached toward his waistband and brandished what appeared to be a sharp object, most likely a knife.

 

 

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As the weapon became visible, Plant began to retreat without turning his back, and almost immediately, an offscreen individual threw a basketball into the frame. The man with the knife then started to advance but Plant and his friend ran in opposite directions. While there has been no official update on this incident, Caleb Plant addressed this situation a couple of years ago during a media interaction.

He said, “I mean, someone who thought that they was going to chastise me and it didn’t work out for him so that’s long story short, and then, um, he was again, you know, getting spanked in front of everybody, he pulled out a knife. That’s all, yeah.”

And well, that’s the 23-2-14 boxer for you, who seemed to be pretty unfazed by the turn of events on the street, and looks like the spirit carried onto the fans too.

Fans react to the street-fight video involving Caleb Plant

Many viewers noted the clean, striking form Plant used during the initial moments of the video, as one fan wrote, “Caleb could’ve been in MMA, I saw that teep kick.” The front kick Plant used mid-exchange, pushed his opponent backward, and temporarily halted forward movement. The kick was delivered with Plant’s torso upright, hips engaged, and with clear control over distance. It closely resembled a Muay Thai-style teep kick, typically used to control space without fully committing.

Others addressed the moment when the man reached into his waistband and pulled out. a knife. “That’s attempted m—–, should’ve pressed charges.” Indeed, the escalation from a fistfight to the apparent presence of a blade was something unexpected. There is no indication that the weapon was used on Plant or his companion, and no injuries have been confirmed. As of this report, there has been no police statement or legal follow-up, and no party involved has taken public legal action.

Another user commented on the ball thrown during the most tense part of the standoff, writing, “Don’t throw a basketball at someone and then turn your back on them.”  Once the basketball landed between the two, the shouting began, and both Plant and his friend began to retreat. The individual holding the weapon gave a brief chase and threw something in return.

Some viewers further praised Plant’s strategic movement away from the conflict, writing, “Played it smart. If he’d gotten in a tussle the dude could’ve pulled the knife out earlier.” If you watch the video initially, Caleb stays upright, keeps his distance, and lands strikes with minimal exposure. And once the potential weapon appears, he exits without resistance, reducing the likelihood of further escalation.

A number of fans also pointed out the reaction imbalance—quiet when the knife appears, louder after the ball is thrown, “Why are they cool with him pulling out a knife but not a basketball?” The man with the blade is not approached or stopped by any bystanders, and no audible alarm is raised until after the basketball enters the frame.

But for Caleb Plant, this is all in the past. He is now scheduled to return to the ring against Jose Armando Resendiz (15-2) in May. The bout will be part of a Premier Boxing Champions event organized by TGB Promotions. Who do you think will win this fight? Let us know in the comments.

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